Soft Batch Salted Caramel Chocolate Fudge Cookies

We’re heading to Paris on Wednesday! The trip was originally just for a quick two-day conference, but after much debate, we’ve decided to stretch it out and stay for a week. I’ve never been to the city of light before, so I’m beyond excited to eat, explore, and eat some more.

Coffee, chocolate, croissants, and cozy sweaters! I cannot wait.

Today’s cookie recipe is my go-to cure when I have a chocolate craving that just-won’t-quit.

These Soft Batch Salted Caramel Chocolate Fudge Cookies are:

Super soft

Tender

Warm

Gooey

Chocolatey

Caramel-y

Salty

Sweet

And simply amazing

The recipe I used to make them is almost the same as my famous soft batch double chocolate fudge cookies. These cookies are made with simple ingredients like flour, cocoa powder, butter, chocolate, baking powder, salt, sugar, milk, and vanilla. ← Proof basic ingredients,when combined properly, can create epic recipes!

The one fancy(ish) ingredient called for? Salted Caramels. I use these extremely affordable ($2.99!!!) Fleur De Sel Caramels from Trader Joe’s (<<< Not getting paid to say that; just the truth) and they work perfectly. If you don’t live near a T Joe’s, I recommend using a softer salted caramel that will melt nicely and keep a plush texture even after the cookies have completely cooled. You’ll want to roll the soft caramel into a small ball and pop them in the freezer for 10 minutes. This helps ensure no caramel escapes the cookies during the baking process.

When it comes to baking these cookies, you’ll preheat your oven to 325 degrees (F), but once you pop the cookies in the oven, you’re going to immediately crank that dial down to 300 degrees (F). The low, longer baking time gives these cookies their crackly shell and gooey fudge interior. ♥♥♥

FYI: These cookies must – I repeat MUST – cool completely on the tray. I usually leave the room for a good 45 minutes before I even think about sneaking one (or 3…) off the tray.

These rich and gooey cookies are the ultimate chocolate & caramel indulgence! Spoil yourself and make a batch today.

As always, it’s a good idea to read the recipe in full before beginning.

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on instagram! Seeing your kitchen creations makes my day.

Soft Batch Salted Caramel Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Thick and ultra fudgy chocolate cookies stuffed with a pocket of gooey salted caramel. These are epic!

Ingredients

12 salted caramels, see post for more information

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

4 large eggs, at room temperature

4 tablespoons whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups milk chocolate chips

2 teaspoons flaky sea salt

Instructions

Unwrap the caramels, roll each one into a ball, and place them on a freezer-safe plate. Place the plate in the freezer for 10 minutes. In the meantime, prep your cookie dough.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper, lightly spray them with non-stick spray, and set aside.

Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips and butter in a small, microwave safe bowl. Heat them in the microwave for for 15 second increments of time, mixing in between each, until butter and chocolate are completely melted and can easily be whisked smooth. Set aside. *You may also do this process on the stove top if you don't own a microwave.

In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate medium-sized bowl whisk together the sugars, eggs, milk, and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and stir to combine - be sure not to over mix here!

Fold in the chocolate/ butter mixture and the milk chocolate chips into the batter, stirring until everything is just combined.

Scoop 2 tablespoon-sized potions of batter onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch in-between each cookie for inevitable spreading. Press a caramel in the center of each cookie, then top with an additional tablespoon of dough. Lightly press the edges together using your fingers.

Place pans in the oven - one at a time - reduce heat to 300 degrees, and bake for 18-20 minutes. Sprinkle the top of each cookie with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Allow cookies to completely cool on the baking sheet before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size1 cookie

Amount Per Serving

% Daily Value

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Reader Interactions

Comments

My daughter found these on your instgram account last night and insisted we have a mother daughter baking session asap. So we pulled out all of the ingredients and baked them right away. We both agree best cookie we have ever had. I did not listen to your advice at first and tried pulling cookie off the tray before cooled – what a disaster. After I let them cool as you say they were amazing. Thank you for our new favroite chocolate cookie recipe.

Can the batter (minus the chocolate of course be mixed and refrigerated for several hours ahead of time, or will it make it wonky? Have a time crunch and also know embarrassingly little about baking, so I want to make sure I don’t ruin it, lol.
Thanks in advance.

Hi Kelli. I have never tried chilling this recipe, so I honestly cannot say one way or another. I wish I could be more helpful! If you decide to give it a try, I would love to hear how they turn out. xoxo

Hi Kelly! I have not, but I believe the cookie dough could be prepared to right before the baking point, then frozen, and baked when you’re ready. You just might need to add a few minutes onto the bake time since you’ll be baking from a frozen state. Wishing your son a blessed communion 🙂

Hi – These sound and look amazing! Wondering if it would be ok to make the cookies just 1 Tbsp. size….I would like to take them to a volunteer location I visit and these would just be too large. Thanks very much!

These turned out great! My boyfriend said they were in his top 3 favorites (& I make alot of good cookies). My cookies were large & puffy (4″ diameter)….just a heads up that this recipe made 26 cookies! So, freeze more caramels! I did follow the recipe as written, used the correct sized scoops & feel these would be giant if there were only 12 total. It is not a bad thing that there were more than 12.

Hi!! Made these cookies twice already and have been such an epic success that i’ve been commissioned to bake them again to surprise my friend’s husband (because he raved about them!). On both occasions my cookies, although tasting amazing, went from perfectly round balls entering the oven, to flattening paper thin after baking. Do you have any tips to share to help my cookies maintain some thickness while in the oven? Would be so very much appreciated, absolutely love your blog and everything you’ve published here <3

Hi!! Made these cookies twice already and have been such an epic success that i’ve been commissioned to bake them again to surprise my friend’s husband (because he raved about them!). On both occasions my cookies, although tasting amazing, went from perfectly round balls entering the oven, to flattening paper thin after baking. Do you have any tips to share to help my cookies maintain some thickness while in the oven? Would be so very much appreciated, absolutely love your blog and everything you’ve published here <3

Hi Sarah. It sounds like the dough may be getting too soft before entering the oven. I would recommend placing the dough in the fridge for an hour before scooping and rolling, and then again for 20 minutes after they’ve been rolled into balls. Chilling at every stage helps keep cookies thicker and chewier.

These cookies look amazing — and your photography is gorgeous! Was wondering if you use Tailwind — because I am starting a new tribe called CHRISTMAS COOKIES and I’d love for you to participate! If you’re interested, send me an e-mail and I’ll invite you! Thanks — these cookies are going on my MUST TRY list this year!

I’m dying to try these, but I live in Canada and we don’t have a Trader Joe’s here. I can’t find salted caramels anywhere. I may have to go the route of making my own. I’m assuming that would be just as good.

Best cookies ever! It made 24, not 12 but who’s complaining?! I used kraft Carmel squares and it worked wonderfully. They definitely take time, I could only fit 6 at a time in a tray, but they are worth the wait! Also, pay attention to the recipe when it says cool completely…I ignored that part and the cookie broke in half and Carmel spilled out the bottom!

Made these today; the cookie was yummy. I omitted the extra milk chocolate chips. I thought that would be really a lot of chocolate. And I used Kraft caramel bits (3 in each cookie) instead of salted caramels. I would do that differently next time. They did not melt and get gooey at all; you can hardly even tell there’s caramel inside. So I would probably do a little caramel rectangle. And I forgot to put any salt on at the end, and my husband said that would have been good. He also thought they would be great with walnuts, so I might do that next time, too. Good chocolate cookie, though.

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Meet Ashley

Hey! I’m Ashley, a creative spirit with a major sweet tooth. Most days you can find me in my happy place: the kitchen. If I’m not there, I’m probably snapping photos of food, planning a party… or dreaming about my next trip to Paris (AKA my favorite place in the entire world). I’m a story teller, recipe developer, and photographer who firmly believes that a homemade life is a happy life. Learn More.